40-year jail term for Bethanie farm murder

FORMER Bethanie area farm worker Christo Niklaaste was sentenced to 40 years and six months in jail yesterday for the crimes he committed when he murdered an elderly farmer three years ago.

“The message must be sent out loud and clear, particularly to young men who are shown by the incidence of violent crimes in this country to be some of the most frequent offenders, that the courts will be tireless in their efforts and will not flinch from their duty to combat violent crime, and will mete out very severe sentences where that is deserved. You deserve no less,” Acting Judge Simpson Mtambanengwe told Niklaaste (21) when he sentenced him in the High Court in Windhoek.Niklaaste was sentenced on the charges of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice on which Acting Judge Mtambanengwe had convicted him almost three weeks ago.Niklaaste admitted that he had killed 72-year-old farmer Johannes Harms Booysen at farm Buchholtzbrunn near Bethanie between April 17 and 28 2003.The court ruled that Niklaaste had committed an act of premeditated murder and robbery when he killed Booysen by hitting him with a spade against his head, whereafter he stole a list of things, including foodstuff and a .22 pistol, from Booysen’s house.After Booysen had been killed, Niklaaste also admitted, he dragged the farmer’s body into a ditch and set it on fire.Had Namibia’s Constitution not abolished the death sentence, Niklaaste would have been a proper candidate for that ultimate penalty, Acting Judge Mtambanengwe told Niklaaste during yesterday’s sentencing.”The murder and robbery you committed were premeditated and planned,” the Acting Judge said.”The deceased, although he had a revolver, did not suspect what you were up to.This obviously explains why he made no attempt to use the revolver to defend himself.He was an old, isolated farmer whom you approached with your designs but ostensibly under the guise you were looking for employment.You showed an unimaginable callousness for a young man in the way you killed him and proceeded to drag his body into a ditch and burn it beyond recognition.It was indeed a shocking murder of an innocent man.”Acting Judge Mtambanengwe sentenced Niklaaste to 30 years’ imprisonment on the murder count, an eight-year jail term on the robbery charge, and a five-year prison term for an attempt to defeat or obstruct the course of justice.Two and a half years of the last sentence was ordered to run together with the 30-year prison term on the murder count, while it was further ordered that the sentences will run consecutively with the two-year jail term that Niklaaste is now serving for escaping from custody.Niklaaste is set to serve out that sentence by the end of June, by when he should start serving the 40 years and six months of additional jail time that he received yesterday.Deputy Prosecutor-General Antonia Verhoef led the prosecution at his trial.Defence lawyer Christie Mostert represented Niklaaste, on instructions from the Directorate of Legal Aid.You deserve no less,” Acting Judge Simpson Mtambanengwe told Niklaaste (21) when he sentenced him in the High Court in Windhoek.Niklaaste was sentenced on the charges of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice on which Acting Judge Mtambanengwe had convicted him almost three weeks ago.Niklaaste admitted that he had killed 72-year-old farmer Johannes Harms Booysen at farm Buchholtzbrunn near Bethanie between April 17 and 28 2003. The court ruled that Niklaaste had committed an act of premeditated murder and robbery when he killed Booysen by hitting him with a spade against his head, whereafter he stole a list of things, including foodstuff and a .22 pistol, from Booysen’s house.After Booysen had been killed, Niklaaste also admitted, he dragged the farmer’s body into a ditch and set it on fire.Had Namibia’s Constitution not abolished the death sentence, Niklaaste would have been a proper candidate for that ultimate penalty, Acting Judge Mtambanengwe told Niklaaste during yesterday’s sentencing.”The murder and robbery you committed were premeditated and planned,” the Acting Judge said.”The deceased, although he had a revolver, did not suspect what you were up to.This obviously explains why he made no attempt to use the revolver to defend himself.He was an old, isolated farmer whom you approached with your designs but ostensibly under the guise you were looking for employment.You showed an unimaginable callousness for a young man in the way you killed him and proceeded to drag his body into a ditch and burn it beyond recognition.It was indeed a shocking murder of an innocent man.”Acting Judge Mtambanengwe sentenced Niklaaste to 30 years’ imprisonment on the murder count, an eight-year jail term on the robbery charge, and a five-year prison term for an attempt to defeat or obstruct the course of justice.Two and a half years of the last sentence was ordered to run together with the 30-year prison term on the murder count, while it was further ordered that the sentences will run consecutively with the two-year jail term that Niklaaste is now serving for escaping from custody.Niklaaste is set to serve out that sentence by the end of June, by when he should start serving the 40 years and six months of additional jail time that he received yesterday.Deputy Prosecutor-General Antonia Verhoef led the prosecution at his trial.Defence lawyer Christie Mostert represented Niklaaste, on instructions from the Directorate of Legal Aid.